Wednesday, October 15, 2003

rational actors

After the bombing of the American convoy in Gaza, Ha'aretz makes the observation:

The attack could impact on U.S. relations with the Palestinians. The area where the attack took place was under full Palestinian control. Israel handed it over to the Palestinians after Abbas took office earlier this year.

The Americans will demand that the Palestinian Authority investigate the attack and find the perpetrators. If the PA fails to do this, it will lose what little credibility it has left in the eyes of the Americans.

exactly. It's possible that this was the precise intent (and easily sold to the angry public as a strike against the Americans for their "one-sided" support).

After all, Hamas and Islamic Jihad are waging war for control of the Palestinian street. They execute the bomber's veto on the peace process at every step, in order to trigger Israeli responses - which always cause death and humiliation to the Palestinian public, while the PA issues condemnations. Its a PR war and Hama and IJ are winning. The attack on the Americans serves the same purpose.